Minagoroshi-hen
Minagoroshi-hen (皆殺し編, Massacre Chapter), is the answer arc for Tatarigoroshi-hen in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. The game was released on December 30, 2005 as the third in the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai series. It is mostly told from the viewpoint of Furude Rika, and is the penultimate arc in the series. Minagoroshi-hen follows Tsumihoroboshi-hen (Yakusamashi-hen in the anime) and precedes Matsuribayashi-hen. The story answers more questions than just those in Tatarigoroshi-hen, and thanks to the determination of Maebara Keiichi saves Hōjō Satoko from her fate in that arc. It is the first arc in which the varied fates of June 1983 are changed, and in which the true murderer behind the plot is revealed. Plot The story begins with Furude Rika in an altered state of reality. Around her, various prisms float and circulate her. As she examines them, she mentions that they are "shards" from the various summers of 1983. Within the crystals are the memories from Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, Meakashi-hen and Tsumihoroboshi-hen. Rika then calls upon Hanyū, a mysteriou goddess, saying that they are going to a new universe. Hanyū agrees, but tells Rika that there will be nothing she can do to change the outcomes of this new world. Rika acknowledges this, but half-heartedly. The world they walk into appears to be similar to Watanagashi-hen/''Meakashi-hen''. The group along with Rika heads to the toy store in Okinomiya. The outcome of this event is the same as in Watanagashi-hen/''Meakashi-hen'': Keiichi wins the doll. However instead of choosing Rena as in the previous worlds, he chooses Mion as the recipient. Rika and Hanyū stay back for a bit, and note that Keiichi saved them all from the disastrous outcome of Watanagashi-hen/''Meakashi-hen''. Rika later catches up with the group hopeful that this will be a world where her friends will break free of their destinies. Hanyū is unsure, but does not want to discourage Rika. Over the next few days Hōjō Satoko has been absent from school. Her friends find this suspicious, and Rika tells them that Satoko's abusive uncle, Hōjō Teppei, has returned to the town, causing Satoko to move back in with him. Upset by this, their teacher Chie Rumiko investigates. As it turns out, Satoko has a cold. However, she is being put to work and abused by Teppei. Chie tries to contact the Child Welfare Office, and a representative visits Hinamizawa. However, efforts to help Satoko are stymied by Satoko's refusal to accuse Teppei along with a past false accusation against a previous step-father which creates a bureaucratic impass. Teppei also threatens to burn down Satoshi's room if she refuses to remain silent. Keiichi and the rest organize the citizens of Hinamizawa to come together to protest on her behalf. Keiichi even succeeds in convincing Sonozaki Oryō to relent on hatred of the Hōjō family. Nevertheless, Keiichi convinces Satoko that the village supports her, and she finally denounces Teppei. In the midst of this apparent happy conclusion, the reveal powers behind the Great Hinamizawa Disaster become apparent. Minagoroshi-hen TIPS. Anime Episodes *Chapter One: Rules of the Maze *Chapter Two: How to Change Destiny *Chapter Three: Wavering *Chapter Four: Negotiation *Chapter Five: Confrontation *Chapter Six: Strong Will *Chapter Seven: Hinamizawa Syndrome *Chapter Eight: Finale Disappearances and Deaths All deaths and disappearances are listed only as they are told in Minagoroshi-hen. Spoilers are only for the individual arc, not the overall series. Disappearances *'Hōjō Satoshi': disappeared on June 1982. Deaths *'Mamiya Rina': killed by the Sonozaki's yakuza. *'Tomitake Jirō': murdered on the night of the Watanagashi Festival on June 19, 1983. He clawed out his throat hours after he was injected with H173 by Takano. *'Irie Kyōsuke': poisoned on June 22, 1983 by the Yamainu, later died in the Irie Clinic. *'Kumagai Katsuya': shot in the head with a sniper rifle on June 22, 1983 by the Yamainu. *'Ōishi Kuraudo': shot in the chest with a hand gun on June 22, 1983 by the Yamainu. In the anime adaptation, he was shot in the head with a sniper rifle, the same as Kumagai. *'Detective Komiyama and his partner': killed at Rika and Satoko's house on June 23, 1983 by the Yamainu. They were electrocuted to death by modified stun guns. In the anime adaptation, Komiyama is not present, and is replaced by a generic police officer. *'Maebara Keiichi', Sonozaki Mion, Sonozaki Shion, Ryūgū Rena, and Hōjō Satoko: all shot to death by Takano Miyo on June 23, 1983. *'Furude Rika': disemboweled alive in front of Furude Shrine on June 23, 1983 by Takano Miyo. *'Everyone in Hinamizawa': secretly killed on June 24, 1983 by the Japanese Self-Defense Force. This was ordered by the Japanese government in accordance to Emergency Manual #34. Most of the villagers were poisoned by an unknown gas, while few who attempted to escape were shot to death. Question Arc See Tatarigoroshi-hen. I wanted to know the world that was outside of the well. So I tried hard to get out from the bottom of the well. I wanted to know the world that was outside of the well. So I climbed up numerous of times despite falling down over and over again. But then I realized it. The higher and higher I climb, the pain increases when I fall down again. When my interest in the world outside of the well began to equal the amount of pain, That was when I finally realized the meaning of the story to Der Froschkönig. Frederica Bernkastel Category:Arcs Category:Answer Arcs Category:Bad End